A magical journey that begins at Hogwarts

But you can rest assured about my character; I will definitely fulfill the contract I've made.

Sirius nodded helplessly. He was powerless to change the situation; he had no choice at all.

Fortunately, Aaron wasn't entirely sure of Phineas's thoughts, so he added some supplements to the second clause of the contract.

If his great-great-grandfather does not agree to act as notary, Aaron will still resurrect him two years later, and the reward he will receive is 90% of the Black family's wealth two years later.

“Now that things are settled, there are some things I can’t keep from you anymore,” Aaron said, then snapped his fingers.

Snapped!

With the illusion dispelled, the true Temple of the Gods was revealed to Sirius.

The throne sits atop a high platform, behind which is a statue of Salazar Slytherin. To the left is a garden and a hot spring, and to the right are a study room and storage shelves.

In addition, there are many secret rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, alchemy rooms, divination rooms, storage rooms, granaries, and so on, with everything imaginable.

Each room was expanded using the Unfailing Stretch Charm, making them at least as large as the Great Hall of Hogwarts. They are not completely connected, but the efficient layout makes good use of every inch of space, creating a harmonious aesthetic.

"Merlin's beard!" Sirius exclaimed, his eyes wide with disbelief. "This palace is far more luxurious and functional than the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix."

"You have a good eye," Aaron said proudly. "I named this palace the Divine Palace, and it took more than two years to barely complete the renovation."

Though small, it has all the essential parts; it is my greatest achievement to date.

With enough resources, almost anything can be accomplished here. I also need enough money to maintain the base's normal operation.

Sirius was deeply shocked; the thing people fear most is comparison.

They built a secret base when they were sixteen, but what was he doing when he was sixteen? Bullying Snape with James and the others?

What's even more frightening is that the renovation of this base took two or three years, which means that he had the idea of ​​building the base several years ago and put it into action.

Damn it! They started getting into this in their teens, how are other people supposed to survive?

"Incredible, truly incredible," Sirius said with some admiration. "But how did you come up with the idea of ​​building a palace?"

Logically speaking, with your family background, you could easily win everything without lifting a finger.

"There are many reasons, but the main one is to prevent problems before they arise!" Aaron exclaimed. "It turns out I was right. What's the difference between my current family background and a blank slate?"

From the day I offended Voldemort, I felt a sense of urgency. I could have stayed at home, and the storms outside wouldn't have affected me at all, but I didn't want to.

At home, I have someone following me everywhere I go, and that feeling of not being free is very awkward. Plus, I have to attend a lot of tutoring classes at home, which is incredibly tiring.

But you always need a safe haven outside, so I spent a lot of time and effort building this secret palace. It's safe enough here, and nobody can control me.

Sirius felt a strong sense of empathy. His situation was very different from Aaron's, but they were somewhat similar in terms of rebellion.

He felt too much pressure from his family, so he resolutely ran away from home and ended up living with Potter.

"To be honest, I completely understand how you feel."

"You don't understand anything." Aaron made no attempt to hide his speechlessness. "Don't spout this kind of nonsense again. Unless you're me, you won't understand."

Sirius: ......

"For the next two years, you will stay here obediently and not wander off."

“Okay,” Sirius said, frustrated. “But at least tell me where this place is? What country and location has a statue of Salazar Slytherin?”

“Hogwarts will have one,” Aaron said calmly.

“Hogwarts?” Sirius frowned slightly. “You mean you built this palace at Hogwarts, right under Dumbledore’s nose?”

I guess so!

This is deep underground, originally the Chamber of Secrets built by Salazar Slytherin.

"Holy crap!" Sirius exclaimed in shock. "You really...aren't you worried Dumbledore will find out?"

“Don’t worry!” Aaron said seriously. “After my second year, I spent a long time digging a tunnel from my dormitory directly to the secret room.”

As for the original path, even the pipes connecting to the secret room, I have blocked them all.

Even if Dumbledore didn't investigate further, he would only assume that the Chamber of Secrets had collapsed. Even if he wanted to investigate further, it wouldn't be possible in a short time.

"I don't know if it's possible to find the secret chamber deep underground through the secret passage. It would take at least a year and a half to dig, and besides... this isn't just a simple secret base."

As soon as he finished speaking, yellow lightning suddenly flashed above the secret room, and huge thunderclouds instantly covered the entire ceiling.

At the same time, several huge magic circles slowly rotated on the floor and walls, each one making Sirius's scalp tingle and making him want to run away as fast as he could.

"What are these?" Sirius asked, his face pale.

"Ultimate elemental magic and forbidden lightning magic could easily destroy the entire Hogwarts School."

"Are you crazy?"

“I’m very calm,” Aaron said calmly. “This is deep underground, it won’t affect Hogwarts.”

"Once an enemy invades and breaches the defenses of the main hall's entrance, I will activate these spells. At that time, this place will transform into an elemental ocean filled with destructive power. Even Dumbledore and Voldemort would find it difficult to confront it head-on; they would be severely injured, if not killed."

"hiss!"

Sirius gasped, looking around at everything, his heart still reeling.

This isn't a secret room, it's a fortress!

"Are you serious?" Sirius said through gritted teeth. "The location here is safe enough; no one can find us."

"I think we should always add a prefix to problems, just in case."

"As the saying goes, 'Better to die a glorious death than live a shameful life.' Daring to force your way in comes at a price," Aaron said casually. "Besides, only if the intruders defend themselves fiercely can I leave safely."

Sirius laughed, but it was a very forced laugh.

He finally understood why Dumbledore was so shameless as to drag Aaron onto the war machine; this was no ordinary act of ruthlessness!

However, to be fair, this palace also shows that Aaron has a very comprehensive ability to consider things.

As long as he stands on the side of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's plans will be well protected.

“Oh, right, there’s someone else you need to get to know,” Aaron said.

The thought entity then removed the illusion spell from its body and stood next to Aaron. "Good afternoon, Mr. Black."

"You, why are you here?"

“I’ve always been here. To be precise, I’ve been here much longer than him. I’m the one who mainly modified this secret room.”

"But...aren't you his brother?"

"You didn't go to Hogwarts either!"

Aaron and the thought exchanged a smile. "We're relieved to hear that."

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked, utterly puzzled.

“I am his clone,” the thought entity laughed, “a clone created by splitting off a portion of my own magic power, identical to the original.”

"So that means what we saw in the Department of Mysteries..."

"It's me, aren't you surprised? Unexpected, right?" the Memory Entity teased, then sighed, "I originally wanted to put pressure on Voldemort, but the Order of the Phoenix's timely appearance disrupted my plans."

“Gaius,” Sirius looked at Aaron with some apprehension, “if he is your alter ego, just how strong are you now?”

"A tiny bit better than you." Aaron pinched a gap between his index finger and thumb and said very casually, "I know what you're thinking, but you're really overthinking it."

I am just a mage, and I am still far from being a grand mage.

The clone exists solely on the magic I provide; it disappears once the magic is depleted. I need to periodically replenish its magic to maintain normal operation; its power cannot be transferred to me.

"I see."

Upon hearing this explanation, Sirius breathed a sigh of relief.

He wanted Aaron to be powerful enough to make it easier for Dumbledore to arrange things, but he didn't want Aaron to be too powerful, because then he would break out of Dumbledore's plans.

This would create considerable trouble, even for someone who is an ally of Voldemort.

Sirius didn't suspect Aaron either. Firstly, there was no need; he had already signed a contract of servitude, so Aaron had no reason to hide it from him.

Secondly, this is too unbelievable. If power can be stacked, Aaron would be a true archmage.

A sixteen-year-old archmage shouldn't be joking like that.

The idea of ​​dragging such a genius archmage into this mess is absurd; it's hard to say whether it will bring good or bad fortune.

Aaron and the thought entity both smiled upon seeing this.

He couldn't outsmart that old fox Dumbledore, but it was easy for him to fool a little Sirius. How hard could it be to fool an idiot who had been in prison for over ten years and didn't even know how to plead his innocence?

One should always be wary of others. Rather than saying that the Thought Entity is his trump card, it would be more accurate to say that it is the strength of the Archmage.

Sirius Black can only be controlled for a maximum of two years; after that, he is no longer trustworthy.

During this period, the existence of the Thought Entity cannot be concealed, so we must find a way to reduce its effect. At this time, sincerity is the ultimate weapon.

After such an open and honest exchange, Sirius would only admire Aaron's abilities and would deliberately avoid giving the most correct answer.

"There are some things I need to make clear beforehand. My clone can occasionally keep you company and help you pass on things you care about, such as Harry Potter, but you can't disturb him when he's studying or working."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

"You can participate when we discuss things, but you should also step aside when necessary."

"clear."

“What I mean by avoidance is being sealed away,” Aaron emphasized. “Don’t think I’m being heartless; we wouldn’t feel at ease if we didn’t do it this way.”

Sirius hesitated for a moment, then nodded silently.

It's just a seal, I'll just treat it as a nap.

His attitude pleased Aaron and the Memory Entity, who then set up a morgue in the Temple of Divine Cry and placed Sirius's body there.

If it's always kept in the main hall, it will really affect the mood.

......

The next day, Hogwarts received the latest edition of the Daily Prophet.

Dumbledore and Potter are exonerated... The minister is about to resign... Umbridge is suspended pending investigation... The person whose name cannot even be mentioned is back... The headmaster of Hogwarts is reinstated...

Every headline was incredibly eye-catching, and the students who had just finished their exams found it all unbelievable after reading the newspaper.

The news of Voldemort's return caused a huge stir and considerable panic, but Dumbledore's return to his original position also gave them a long-lost sense of security.